Reenforced corrugated car ends



A. w FRASER 2,08,64

REENFORCED CORRUGATED CAR ENDS July 16, 1935.

Filed Mayan 17, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WI IIIIIWI INVENTOR ALEXANDER W. FRASER July 16, 1935 A. w. FRASER REENFORCED CORRUGATED CAR ENDS Filed March 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALEXANDER W FRASER z/miw mw ATTORNEY Patented y 16, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,008,640 REENFORCED CORRUGATED can ENDS Alexander W. Fraser, Hamilton, 0ntario,.Canada, assignor to National Steel Car Corporation, Limited, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Canada 7 Application March 17,

w 16 Claims.

The invention relates in general to a sheet metal structural unit of corrugated form to provide integral reenforcements and the invention specifically relates to a structural panel or unit of general application but herein particularly designed to constitute the whole or a portion of a railroad car side or end and the present disclosure constitutes a further development of the invention disclosed in my co-pending applilo cation on Corrugated structural units, Serial No.

700,098 filed November 28, 1933. I The primary object of the present invention, as was the object of the previously filed disclosure, is to provide an improved form of onepiece reenforced sheet metal unit in which integrally formed beams are disposed in intersecting relation to provide the maximum resistance to distortional strains.

In the prior application the beams are formed by corrugating a sheet metal plate to form integral intersecting corrugations coacting to define a reenforced area within the outlines of the sheet and this feature is also utilized in the present disclosure. I r p 5 The novel feature of this invention is to provide one or more of the corrugations, either wholly or in part as a beam in the form of a hollow tube, or differently expressed to interior- 1y reenforce or stiffen that corrugation or cor- 3 rugations most liable to become distorted while in use with the reenforcement disposed to resist tendencies of the corrugation to flatten out or otherwise become distorted under load. Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of structure embodying the invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the lower right hand half of a car end constituting'a preferred embodiment of the invention; j I

Fig. 2 is a perspective view constituting a detailed showing of one of the posts in its relation to a pair of adjacent girders;

Figs. 3 and 4 are each horizontal sectional views so taken respectively on the lines 33 and 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig, ,5 is a vertical edge view looking at the construction shown in Fig. 1 from the right hand side of the figure;

55 lgs t and are vertical sectional views taken:

1934, Serial No. 716,137

respectively on the lines 66 and 'l-'| of Fig. 1 showing in longitudinal section the long bridging strip formof stiffening reenforcement also shown inFigs.2and9; v v.

Fig. 8 is a view'similar to Fig- 7 showing the '5 short plate form of stiffening reenforcement also shown in rear elevation in Fig. 10;

Fig. 9 is a view in rear elevation of the inner side of the panel shown in Fig. 1 showing the e trough side of the corrugationsat the line 1 -11 10 and x r Fig. l0 is-a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the short plate form of trough reenforcement.

The showing illustrates the lower right corner of asingle plate of which the lower left corner 15' corresponds to the illustrated portion except for reversal in disposition of parts so thatthe car end will be symmetrical relative to a medial plane through the car. The plate thus described'may N extend upwardly for any desired distance,- orto 20 the roof of the structure. Further,in the structure from which these drawings were made the. car end was formed of two similar plates, one disposed above the other and with their adjacent I edges overlapping and riveted together follow- 26 ing conventional practices in this respect. Further following conventional practices; the upper plate was provided with an inturned'roofengag ing flange as well as corner flanges. In general it is to be understood that the invention herein disclosed is applicable to conventional car end and side panel constructions which heretofore have used a different formof corrugation arrangement.

Referring to the drawings there is disclosed a 3Y5a substantially fiat sheet metal plate or panel In having inturned side flanges I l and an outlining flat uncorrugated edge portion 12 and which flanges l l and flat edge portion l2 are usually perforated to form bolt or rivet holes by means of 0 which the panels are secured to adjacent struc tural parts of the car.

Within the outlining flat edge area I2 the plate is provided with two sets of corrugations to form a central reenforced area to the panel as a whole; One set of corrugations l3 extends horizontally in parallel relation and are substantially equi-* distantly spaced apart vertically to form inte gral girders. The other set of corrugations l4 extend vertically in substantially equidistantly spaced apart horizontal relation to form up standing integral posts. The girder forming corrugations are relativelymuch wider than the post forming corrugations I4. These corrugations intersect each other at right angles to for'm an depth, that is,. have their maximum horizontal 5D? bent about any horizontally extending axis 'as' plete and of sufficient strengthtomaintain its" elongated block-like or checker-board design over the entire reenforced area. It will be seen from Fig. 3 that the trough'or channel I 5 of the girder forming corrugation I3 is continuous across the entire reenforced area and in this case is straight from end to end. By reference to Fig. '7 it will be noted that the trough or channel l6 of the post forming corrugation. I 4 is likewise continuous from end to end across the reenforced area but, of course, is not straight being of undulatory form.

One of the features of novelty in this dis closure is that the post forming corrugations M are continuous and project outwardly not only from the flat, uncorrugated portion of the plate as shown at IT, Fig. 2, but extend up the sides of, pass over and project beyond the corrugations l3 as shown at 8, Fig. 2. This means, of'course,

that a transverse cross section taken through a corrugation l 4 at any point along its'length will show the" U-shapedor substantially U-shaped configuration shown at 29 in Figs. 3 and 4, even though the'post considered longitudinally in side elevation is of the wavy form shown in Figs. 5 to-"8. The post. extends. overthe girder forming corrugations "l3 and along the trough or uncorrugated space 20 formed between adjacent pairs of the girder forming corrugations i 3. The girder forming icorru'gations 13 are otmaximumbeam offset at their mid-length to provide maximum strength at the longitudinal medial plane of the car and progressively decrease in depth from" their'centers towards their opposite ends as shown inithe right half in Figs; 3 and l. Maximum strengthto resist bending'o'f the-car end is of greatest importance'iat the center ,of'the 'car'to resist strains from shifting loads in the car but this necessity rapidly diminishes towards the vertical edges of the car end. At their'ends the girders'merge at asharp angle into the unreeni'oi'ced vertical marginal portion shown at l2 in Figs.3and4. U v The sections shown in Figs. 3'an'd 4 showthat I? the plate cannot be bentabout any. vertically extendingQaxis because suchiben'ding would be resisted' by the horizontally extending corrugations' l3. Similarly, the vertical sections shown in Figs. 6, .7, and 8 show'that the plate cannot be any such bending would be resisted by the verticallyextending corrugations Hi. It would likewise be apparent thatbendi'ng of the platecannot take place about any inclined axis for-such andhorizontally extending. corrugations. It will be seen that no "line can be drawn through the ree'nforced area which would indicate an axis of bend, because any 'such line "would be intersected by the corrugations of. one or the other sets, or by'both sets 'of corrugations.

As the plate or panel can be formedby simple die-stamping operation it is possible'to provide economically a form of corrugated car end'or other structural part which will provide for maximum 'rigidityand resistance to distorting strain in all'directions throughout the corrugatedreem" forced area of the unit.

The construction as thus far-described is commanufactured form under normal service con ditions and has been claimed in'the above identi fled co-pending application. 'In those situations 4 where it isdesired to make the'panel of relatively" tl'iin'gauge or weaker metal oriwhere'additional structural strength is desired at some portion or portions of the corrugated areas it is suggested that a supplemental reenforcing or tying strip or stiffener be bridged across the trough of those corrugations where such additional strength is desired.

There is disclosed herein two forms of this supplemental reenforcement andlth' same have been illustrated in connection with the'vertical, postforming corrugations M as this is where such additional strength is most likely to be needed, but it is to be understood that the girders [3 may likewise be bridged, their sides or walls tied together, and 'thus reenforced if it is desired to resist any tendency'ofthe corrugations l3 to open or belly out under load.

In" the preferred form the reenforcement is in the formflof a long, thin, flat, vertically disposed metal stiffening strip 21, extending lengthwise of the corrugation l4, and transversely across the corrugations 13 as shown at 22 in Figs.-,6, 7 and 9. Thestrip i'orins a rear wall for the post'and-c'onstitutes'in. efiect a continuation of..thevuncorrugated :portions 11; (see Fig. 2) and isdisposed in theplane of the marginal portions 12m The strip-2| is disposed as a wholewithin the transyerselyprojected outline. of the corrugation l4 and at spaced apart-points fits in the base of those-portions of the; trough of corrugations M at.;theflat portions 1-? which form the uncorrugated places or troughs between the horizontal corrugations i3. The strip issecured inplace' as by welding-atitsedges/to the'inclinedwalls 23 ofthecorrugations l4, as -indicated at24. The strip mayextend from topto bottom of the post forming corrugation M-thus forming the post substantially in-the ,form of:a;-hollow tube as shown in section in Fig. l. j I -Where it is. desired simplyto:tie-together; the base of one of the corrugationsto prevent it from spreading, short plates 25 asshowninelevation in ig. l0 and in section mFig-B are positioned in spacedv-apart relation in place of the long girder bridging strip 2! and are similarly welded at their edges as-i-ndicated; at 2.6 to theflat.uncorrugated por g-1- I I v Theresulting structureisthatrthere is formed a-single; one-pieceunit-in which there is integrally incorporateda plurality of upstanding-hollow-posts each of which .is of tubular; form at least in ,thepart-s thereof which are on'opposite sides of the horizontal. girder for-ming corrugations. Further the long iiat;strips '2l or the short plates 25 are disposedina single plane and coact to form in part a'fiat f ace to the innerside' oftheunit. Where the unit is-rused to form a carend'the'flat parts lland 2!, or I1 and 25,- coacting to form,laths or ;strips extending in-the plane of the marginal portions ;l.2, and" :to 1 which the. inner ear wall, sheathingor-lining may be. secured; In this casecareistakento' see-[that the welded areas 24 or. "6; areismooth on their. exposed 9 nn if szesa Y i In those cases wherea car end-or-similar struca tural unit is made unof two or-mor esuperposed other sectionalunits such,.for instance, as a; pressed steel door, as a side door for box cars, or asbottom drop doors for g ndola cars and may be-utilized wherever pressed steelpanels are used atpresent. I r :1

While there has been shown, described and pointed. out in the annexed claims, certain novel features of; the invention, it WiHf be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the structure illustrate dand in itsoperation may be made by those skilled in .the art without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. 7

Iclaim: 1 V

1,. A sheetmetal structural unit having a reenforced, areaformed ofa set ofvertically extending corrugations forming integral posts and aset of horizontally extending corrugations forming-integral girders, the corrugationsof oneset.

intersecting the corrugations of the other set forming a checkerboard design to the reenforced area,-the corrugations forming the girders having greaterwidth than'the corrugations forming the posts-and being substantially flatat their crown portions, the corrugations forming the postsbeing substantially flat at their crown portions, and each postforming corrugation having the same cross sectional form at any place along its length'and projecting beyond the girder forming corrugations at their intersecting I areas,

and a ree'nforcing' strip extending lengthwise of one, of the post"'forming corrugations and extending transversely across and thus bridging the girder forming corrugations, saidstrip having its .long edges secured to the fiat portions forming the bottoms of the troughs between the girder forming corrugations and said strip. forming in effect a continuation of said fiat portionsand ooacting withits associated vertical corrugation to forr'n 'thereof ineffect a hollow tubular post.

2.A sheet metal structural unit having a re-f enforced area formed of' aset of vertically ex tending. v.corrugatiolns forming integral spaced apart posts and a set of horizontally extending spaced apart integral girders with the posts, and girders mutually intersecting each other, each of the post forming corrugations extending in a vertical plane from edge to edge of the reenforced area and extending continuously in said plane tortuously following the undulations formed by the horizontally extending girder forming corrugations and projecting beyond the girders at their intersecting areas, and said posts at said intersecting areas having the same cross-sectioned configuration as they possess on opposite sides of said intersecting areas, and a plurality of bridge strips, one for each vertically extending corrugation, each extending lengthwise of its associated vertically extending corrugations for substantially the entire length thereof, fitted in portions of the trough thereof and secured thereto to form in effect a hollow vertical post, said strips bridging across all of the vertical corrugations at the otherwise uncorrugated portion of the unit. 3. A sheet metal panel, said panel provided with a set of vertically spaced horizontally extending corrugations constituting integral girders and a set of horizontally spaced vertically extending corrugations constituting integral posts with the posts and girders extending continuously across each other without change of cross sectional configuration and each corrugation having substantially the same depth where it intersects another corrugation as it has on opposite sides of said other corrugation, and each post in- U, eluding a reenforcing strip extendinglengthwise thereof fromtop to bottom thereof and integrally connecting opposite walls of the post forming corrugation on opposite sides of the girder-form, v5

ing corrugations; I

4. A substantially jflat sheet metal, panel having a fiat outlining eo' lge area adapted to befas-l tened to an adjacent structural part ofthecar, said panel provided within the fiatoutlining area with intersecting corrugations formingia reenforced center area of checkerboard design,said corrugations extending transversely of the plane of the panel and in the same direction fromv said flat area and the trough of each corrugation ,ex tending without interruption continuously from end to end, one of said corrugations extending continuously over another corrugation whereby at the point of intersection theqoverlapping cor rugation projects a greater distance from'the fiat area than'does the overlappedcorrugation, and. a plurality of reenforcing. plates. extendinglengthwise of certain of the corrugations, disposed within the transversely projected outlines. thereof and disposed in the plane of the .flat out-- lining -edge area. a I

5. A corrugated sheet metal panel, the corru-. gations forming vertically extending posts. and horizontally extending girders, with the posts extending tortuously and without change in crosssectional configuration over the girders, and a' fiat'metal strip forming a rear wall to the post connecting a plurality of the horizontallyextending girders and connecting opposite walls of the E post to form the same substantially as a hollow integral and. partly tubular member.

6. A sheet metal panel provided with corrugations all projecting from one side and. with cer-, tain of .the corrugations extending at rightanglesto other corrugations and each without change. in configuration to form in effect a corrugated. area of checkerboard design, the opposing walls forming the trough of each of said'other corrue gations extending continuous and in undulatory form from edge to edge of said area, and tying members connecting the walls of certain of said corrugations to resist the walls from spreading apart. a

'7. A sheet metal panel having a substantially flat reenforced area formed with corrugations extending in two sets, with the corrugations of one set extending atan angle to the corrugations of the other set and intersecting each other to form the area as a checkerboard design, with the corrugations of one set overlapping and thus extending with uniform cross sectional configuration beyond the corrugations of the other set, and tying members offset from the points of intersection of the corrugations, bridging across and thus connecting the side walls of certain of the corrugations to resist distortion of the panel at the points so bridged.

8. A sheet metal panel provided with corruga- 1 tions forming a reeniorced area, with one of the corrugations projecting from one side of the sheet, with the part of the sheet forming one of the corrugations extending continuously and with uniform' cross section configuration over the other, and a flat reenforcing strip secured to and forming a back for said continuous corrugation. 10. A sheet metal panel provided with a pair of intersecting corrugations and with one projecting beyond and thus overlapping the other with uniform cross sectional configuration and maintaining a continuously uniform depth to the overlapping corrugation, and a tying member connecting the side walls of the overlapping corrugation on opposite sides of the overlapped corrugation.

11. A structural unit comprising a sheet metal plate having a corrugated reenforced area with the corrugations extending in intersecting relati'on forming flat uncorrugated portions therebea;

tween disposed in a single plane, and with certain corrugations intersecting every line which can be drawn across the corrugated area thereby to resist bending of the unit which might form about any suchline as an axis from strains imposed perpendicularly on the corrugated area, and a plurality of spaced apart members disposed in the plane of said uncorrugated portions and having opposite edges welded to the walls. forming I certain of said corrugations and said members ad thus forming bridge members tying together said walls and resisting tendency of the walls to separate when load is imposed on the unit.

12. A sheet of metal having a portion corrugated with fiat portions between the corrugations and disposed in the same plane, and with the corrugations intersecting and each corrugation being continuous across the corrugated portion and every cross section through said portion being of a Wavy design irrespective of where or in what direction the cross section is taken, and

flat plates disposed in the same plane with the fiat, uncorrugated portions for tying together the walls forming certain of said corrugations and forming in each casea back-wallforit's associated" corrugation.

13. A metal car end comprising a flat portion having attaching fianges'projecting in one di'' rection from the fiat portion, said end provided with reenforcing corrugations projecting from the flat portion in the opposite direction and bridgingmembers extending across certain of. the c0rru-' gations in the plane of the flat portion.

14. A sheet metal panel adapted to constitute a carend, provided with corrugations forming a reenforced area, and with means forming uri-' corrugated fiat areas within the'outlines of-the'" said vertical corrugation and forming a' pair of fiat, uncorrugated portions on opposite sides thereof, and bridging means disposed in the chan-' nel of the vertical corrugation and connected tothe vertical channel for tying together its opposite walls and for tying together the pair of fiat portions thereby to resist any tendency of; either corrugation to become flat.

16. A sheet metal plate provided with a set of parallel or substantially parallel corrugations forming fiat uncorrugated portions therebetween and another corrugation intersecting the parallel corrugations and means at the place of inter-L section of said other corrugation with one of the" parallel corrugations and secured to the plate at the base of the corrugations to tie'together the' opposite walls of said other corrugation and thus prevent them from spreading apart and to tie together the two flat portions on opposite sides of said parallel corrugation and thus prevent them from spreading awayfrom each other.

ALEXANDER W. FRASER. 

